Behind the Business
Putting a Spark in Your Business
Steve Elliston of Elliston Systems & Design reveals why he added an electrician to his integration company, and how it paved the way for...
management
News
D-Tools Cloud Adds Service Management Suite
New capabilities enable a recurring revenue opportunity for system integrators through the creation, sale, and management of service plans.
Blogs
Normalizing Turnover
It is not always a bad thing when an employee decides to leave your company.
Features
Taking Your Company Off Cruise Control
Times are good in the residential AV business, but they won’t stay that way forever.
News
VITAL Announces Alliance With I am Sayen
The combination of VITAL's data analytics and I am Sayen's process expertise is designed to enhance members operational performance and efficiency.
Features
Bad Management in Action
If you do watch 'The Recruit' and you recognize any business practices shared with your own, it is time to rethink and retool.
Features
The Importance of Accountability
A dealer that focuses on accountability will inspire better performance from its employees and better bottom line for its business.
Blogs
Buddy Check FTW
Integrators have plenty of opportunities to ensure each other’s work is shipshape.
Back to Business
What Job Are You Really Being Hired to Do?
Knowing and understanding the needs of your client is a vital part of the sales process.
News
Josh.ai Announces President’s Club for 2023
Club will meet regularly with the Josh.ai leadership team to discuss the company's progress.
Blogs
Battling Hazardous Attitudes Part 1 – Resignation
Complacency and accepting poor workflows can happen to any business. Here is how to watch for it in yours.
Features
The Benefits of a Profit Culture
Sharing profit information is key to getting the team invested and all rowing in the same direction.
Features
CI Business Growth Patterns
How to optimize the custom integration business model to take your company to new heights.
Blogs
Tapping Into Your Company’s Hive Mind
When your team takes time to focus on key areas in the business, amazing things can happen.
Blogs
Beware the ‘Group Ask’
Group-ask emails are typically harbingers of screwups and disappointment. Here are some tips for eliminating them.
Back to Business
Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned at Philmont
A 12-day trek through the rugged terrain can provide a lot of business lessons.
Blogs
Pick a Customer Issue and Follow It Down the Rabbit Hole
Staying in the client services game by hunting for customer issues instead of reacting to them.
Back to Business
Stay Close to the Action
Keep a finger squarely on the pulse of your business by getting out of your bubble.
Blogs
Ladies and Gentlemen Serving Ladies and Gentlemen
Rebooting the plan to infuse lateral service into our business.
Blogs
Getting Into A “Day 1” Mindset
What would you do differently if you just bought your business today?
Behind the Business
Hiring the Bravas Way
Staffing for one integrator is tough enough — imagine having to do it in multiple locations. Bravas’ Director of HR reveals the company’s philosophies...
Features
Customer Deposits and Inventory
Managed effectively, these two cash flow components can lead to a very lucrative CI business.
Blogs
Stabbing Each Other Offscreen
Do your customer-facing employees know the value of presenting a unified front?
Back to Business
Hold Your Opinion
A simple trick to make better decisions by keeping your sense of personal pride on the sidelines.
Blogs
Getting Good at Saying “I Don’t Know”
Peer roundtables provide a resource to help solve the questions you don’t have the answers to.
News
Jetbuilt to Debut Service Platform at InfoComm 2022
New module integrates with Jetbuilt’s existing asset tracking and gives dealers key service information — including warranty details and date of installation — on...
Features
More Profit = More Solutions
How to figure out how much profit your company is really generating.
Blogs
Bridging the Gap Between “Solid” and “Killing It”
Pushing your staff to go from adequate to exceptional.
Blogs
They Ask You Answer: Filling A Power Vacuum
When the main players don’t shape the narrative, it might be up to you.
Blogs
Perspective: Dollars Versus Percent
What do you take to the bank — profit dollars or profit percentage?
Blogs
Leaning on Colleagues
Sometimes it takes more than one integration company to get the job right.
Blogs
Just Because We Can, Doesn’t Mean We Should
Automation can have a tremendous impact on your business, but some things should remain manual.
Blogs
The Importance of Frenemies
You can learn from your competition and give them advice — and you should do both.
News
Paul Starkey Issues 2022 Challenge to CI Businesses
Looks to reach 1000 business owners and help them significantly impact their bottom lines.
Blogs
Planning for 2022 — Start Here
Being intentional about annual planning should be a critical part of your business.
Features
The State of You
While the State of the Industry may be solid, the State of You may need some care.
Blogs
What I Learned From The Fondue Restaurant
While it may not be broke, it could still use some fixing.